Although
it might sound more like a drink you'd find in a bar (and quite
possibly a concoction you'd want to stay away from!), Johnny Freund's
Southern Dazzler is one of the sharpest SpeedStar roadsters to come
down the pike in recent years. Johnny's street rod is the result of a
combination of forces: Rat's Glass (makers of the 'glass body);
Alloway's Hot Rod Shop (builder of the car); and Hunter's Custom
Automotive (suppliers of most of the rod's parts and, coincidentally,
a company owned by Johnny!).
In fact,
Hunter's is the reason he had the car built in the first place.
Intended to be a rolling billboard for the parts store, it seems to be
working because there's nothing subtle about the message! You could
probably find this car in the dark! Of course, being pals with hot rod
builder Bobby Alloway didn't hurt either‹they've known each other for
almost 20 years. For Johnny, it all started when he began working at
Hunter's at the ripe old age of 14. Growing up in the rod business
gave him an insight on what's hot and what isn't, and when the
business went up for sale in 1990, Johnny jumped up, grabbed the brass
ring, and became owner of the shop where he used to sweep up and
change tires!
Having
nice cars isn't new to Freund‹he has had two previous rods published
in STREET RODDER. But nothing sits in your driveway quite like a
SpeedStar roadster, so when he decided on owning one, he gathered all
the parts up in a hurry. Most of the SpeedStar roadsters that come out
of Alloway's shop use a Heidt's independent front suspension (although
there is talk of a SpeedStar coupe with a straight axle under it in
the works!), and Johnny augmented that set-up with a Corvette
independent rear. All of the SpeedStar chassis are made using special
rails by Frames 'n' Thangs (Pelahatchie, Mississippi).
For
power, a 454 Chevolet motor was shoehorned between the Alloway-built
aluminum hood sides. It's dressed up with all the chrome goodies that
Hunter's carries on its shelves, plus a set of smoothed big-block
valve covers that were painted the same as the rod's exterior: red
with flames. Other tiems, such as the Lokar air cleaner, the Sanderson
headers, and the chromed alternator all add to the engine's
exceptional visual package. Power for the big V-8 goes through TH350
trans and is shifted via a Lokar foot mounted shifter.
The
DuPont paint sprayed at Alloway's shot is topped with a set of licky
flames, taped and sprayed by the two of the best: Wade Hughes and Bill
Roell. To set off the interior, Johnny tured to Paul Atkins, who not
only made the custom swoopy bench seat and center consolve, but also
covered everything (including the door panels and half-wrapped
steering wheel) with red leather. A set of five Auto Meter gauges is
grouped into an aluminum dash insert, which provides about the only
amount of glem in the otherwise red interior. The Sony stereo is
hidden in the truck and operated by remote.
But if
the normal building of a street rod car isn't enought of a
stress-test, while Johnny's roadster was being built he got a call
from Bobby while Alloway's shop was on fire (after being struck by
lightning). The shop burned to the ground and, of all the tools and
cars that were lost, only Johnny's ride survived. In the middle of the
fire, Bobby and three buddies were each able to get on a corner of the
car (there were not wheels on it at the time) and physically carry it
out of the shop and into safety. And two weeks before the fire, a
tornado came through and ripped the roof off of Hunter's. Normally,
anybody who has a car this nice should consider themselves lucky, but,
for Johnny, it goes double!
Johnny
and his wife, Linda, are happy with the roadster, and he's having
Alloway build him another car; a Hercules two-door woodie. After
that's completed, he's been talking to Bobby about doing a SpeedStar
coupe to match his roadster (the coupe's new design is in the Rat's
Glass advertisements). It seems that when you're on a roll like
Johnny, you should roll with it.
FACT & FIGURES
JOHNNY AND LINDA FREUND
Nashville, Tennessee
SpeedStar Roadster
CHASSIS
Rails/Manufacturer—SpeedStar/Frames 'n' Thangs
Wheelbase—116"
Modifications—chassis built at Alloway's Hot Rod Shop, Louisville, TN
Rearend ratio—3.73:1
Rear suspension—Corvette IRS
Rear brakes—Wilwood disc
Front suspension—Heidt's IFS
Front brakes—disc
Steering box—rack by Sweet
Steering column—Ididit
Front wheel size—15 x 6
Rear wheel size—17 x 11
Front tire make, size—BFG, 195/50R15
Rear tire make, size—BFG, 275/60R17
Gas tank—Tanks
ENGINE
Make—Chevrolet V-8
Displacement—454
Machinging/Assembly—Miller Race Engines, Maryville, TN
Cooling fan—Spal
Alternator—Chromed
Valve covers—Flamed
Manifold/Injection—'70 Chevy LS6/Holley 750 w/Lokar air cleaner
Ignition—MSD
Headers—Sanderson
Exhaust—2-1/2"
TRANSMISSION
Make—TH350
Converter—B&M
Shifter—Lokar
Trans mods—Borings, Maryville, TN
Driveshaft—Sonny's Driveline, Knoxville, TN
BODY
Body style/material—roadster/fiberglass
Body manufacturer—SpeedStar
Hoodsides—aluminum by Alloway
Radiator—Steve Long
Grille—Jim Rench, Jerseyville, IL
Bodywork—Alloway's Hot Rod Shop
Paint type/color—DuPont/red
Painter—Alloway's Hot Rod Shop
Graphics—Flames by Wade Hughes & Bill Roell, stripe by Howard Horn
Headlights/Taillights—halogen/LED
INTERIOR
Insert/Gauges—aluminum/Auto Meter
Stereo/Speakers—Sony
Wiring—Painless Wiring Kit
Steering wheel—Billet Specialties
Seat—custom bench
Upholsterer—Paul Atkins, Cullman, AL
Material/Color—leather/red Carpet red wool
Article
Copyright 1999—Reprinted by permission of Street Rodder
Magazine—Photos by Eric Geisert
